JOIN USAdmitting that the situation in the Naxal infested regions in the country reflects the “failure” of governance, former Home Secretary G K Pillai has said Maoists are “closer to many urban centres”, posing a serious threat to internal security.
Describing the Naxal threat as a “wake-up” call to the country’s democracy, Pillai said it is time to consider alternative representation models for the regions, such as allowing tribal leaders to act as the spokespersons for the people rather than the Westminster model, which could probably fulfil their aspirations. The former home secretary said Rs 4000 crore road work in Naxal region could not be taken up because of the Naxal resistance.
Hitting hard at the government’s security-oriented policies towards the backward Naxal-infested districts, Delhi University’s Dean faculty of social science Prof. Nandini Sundar said security forces have continued to occupy schools of children against Supreme Court’s clear directives against it. Sundar said while too much was made over the Indian kids separated from parents in Norway, tribal children face the trauma of separation from the parents every day.
She said the government should deploy medical teams instead of hundreds of policemen, pointing out that the Centre’s integrated development plan has been long over due.